Monday, May 30, 2016

Dr. Kent Hovind refuting the Gap Theory

Note: I do not agree with everything in this article. For example, I think saying that the Gap denies the purpose of the cross is a little extreme, but I do agree with his refutation of the Gap overall.
--Eli "Hoss" Caldwell

THE GAP THEORYBy: Kent Hovind

Introduction:

For 2,000 years, nearly all Christians believed and taught that the earth was
approximately 4,000 years old as revealed by God’s Word. In the early 1800s,
some unbelievers began to teach that the earth was "millions of years old."
This old earth teaching laid the groundwork for the evolution theory, which
became popular a few years later. In an effort to blend both beliefs, some
theologians invented the "gap theory" which allowed "millions of years" to be
placed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

As this new gap theory began to be accepted by the church in the early 1800s,
the majority of Christians offered little resistance. This effectively
"neutralized" them in the war between the Bible and the rapidly spreading world
view of evolutionism. This godless theory resulted in the rise of such
philosophies as communism, humanism, and Nazism. The acceptance of the gap
theory opened the floodgates for these ideologies, which have caused untold
suffering as well as hundreds of millions of deaths in the last two centuries.

We hope this booklet will help the reader see that the gap theory, which many
well meaning people have promoted, is unscriptural, unscientific, unnecessary
and is a dangerous compromise of God’s Word.

--Dr. Kent Hovind

The Gap Theory
Genesis 1:1 & Genesis 1:2,
Are there billions of years between them?

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was
without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Genesis 1:1-2

When an author decides to write a book, it is of utmost importance for him
to begin with a powerful and thought-provoking beginning. The author must do
this in a clear and concise manner so that there is no confusion. God was no
different in His approach to place His Word in written form. Within the first
two verses of the Bible, He reveals to us with power and clarity the perfect
triune creation, brought into existence by the perfect triune God.

The simple fact, quite evident to all, is that something drastic and
devastating happened to change God’s perfect creation, as described in Genesis
1:1, into the sin-stricken world that exists today. What exactly happened to
bring this about, and more importantly, when did it happen? The answer to that
question takes us to the very center of a controversy that has existed in
theological circles for nearly 200 years. The controversy surrounds the first
two verses of the Bible and a theory known simply as the "gap theory."

What is the Gap Theory?

The gap theory comes wrapped in many different shapes and forms. There are
as many variations of this theory as there are theologians to support it. Simply
stated, the gap theory is the idea that a long period of time existed between
God’s initial creation in Genesis 1:1 when "God created the heaven and the
earth" and Genesis 1:2 when the earth was "without form and void." Most gap
theorists believe that prior to Genesis 1:2 the "first" earth was inhabited by
angelic creatures, such as Lucifer, as well as the mysterious dinosaurs. A pre-Adamite
race of men is also thought to have populated the earth at this time. Many gap
theorists teach that the world existed in this manner for millions of years, if
not billions. The gap’s end is believed to have occurred when God, finding
iniquity in Satan’s heart, was compelled to destroy the earth with a flood and
make it "without form, and void" (Genesis 1:2). God then proceeded to
"re-create" the earth in six literal days as described in Genesis 1:3-31. The
gap theory, also known as the "ruin-restoration" theory, is displayed for
illustrative purposes in the time line below.

To resolve this controversy, an attempt must be made to understand the
reasoning behind the gap theory. One must understand the history of the gap
theory and the Scripture references used by the theory’s proponents. After
grasping what the gap theory entails, one must then use the light of Scripture
to attempt to validate or invalidate the theory (Acts 17:11). At the conclusion
of this validation process, two questions will then be left to answer: Does the
Bible teach the gap theory, and does it really matter whether the gap theory is
taught or not?

History of the Gap Theory

Before getting into the Scriptural aspect of this discussion, one needs to
first understand the background and history of the gap theory. Thomas Chalmers
(1780-1847), a notable Scottish theologian and first moderator of the Free
Church of Scotland, is credited with being the first proponent of the gap
theory. His proposal of the theory was first recorded in 1814 in one of his
lectures at Edinburgh University. Until 1814, no theologian had put forth the
idea of a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Chalmer’s teaching to a great extent
reflected what was happening in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

In 1795, James Hutton
(1726-1797) introduced the scientific doctrine of uniformitarianism in his book
Theory of the Earth. Hutton believed that the processes of the past (e.g.
climate, sedimentation, decay, etc.) occurred at the same rate as those of the
present--a way of thinking that was prophesied in II Peter 3:4 as a sign of the
last days. Uniformitarianism is now summarized in the phrase, "the present is
the key to the past." His questionable logic became the foundation for many of
the "scientific" discoveries in the early 19th century. Hutton’s teachings most
affected the field of geology, then in its infant stages.

Following in the footsteps of
Hutton, Charles Lyell (1797-1875) became known as the"high priest of
uniformitarianism "and "the father of modern geology." Lyell’s famous
three-volume work, Principles of Geology, quickly became the catalyst for the
geologic movement’s move to uniformitarian principles. Many early geologists,
after studying the numerous layers of sediment existing in the earth’s crust,
assumed the layers were a result of the flood of Noah, knowing that moving water
causes many layers to be deposited. Others claimed they had no idea as to how
they were deposited. A few thought the layers were deposited slowly over
millions of years at the same rate layers are deposited today. This slow but
steady accumulation was thought to be an example of uniformitarianism. For
hundreds of years, scientists in all fields of study had worked within a
6,000-year time frame for the age of the earth, primarily drawn from the
chronology of the Bible. With the introduction of uniformitarian principles into
science, geologists felt they finally had the answer to the mystery.

Shortly after the
publication of Hutton’s and Lyell’s books, Christians began to feel that they
were under a scientific attack for their belief that the earth was only a few
thousand years old. One has only to read the writings of Thomas Chalmers to
understand how sharply he felt the attacks of science upon the Scriptures. Some
geologists and theologians, knowing that the uniformitarian deposit of sediment
layers would require millions of years, quickly rejected the Biblical age of the
earth and moved to adjust the Bible’s time frame to coincide with their new
theory. Chalmers, like many other Christians at this time, began to seek a way
to harmonize the Genesis account of creation with the newly accepted teachings
of geology. He attempted to do this with the gap theory.

Since 1814, many theologians
have followed Chalmers’ example and attempted to accommodate both Scripture and
the new supposed science. In 1859, Charles Darwin’s book The Orgin of Species
introduced scientists and theologians to the possibility of an even longer time
frame for the age of the earth. For example, G.H. Pember stated in his book
Earth's Earliest Ages, "There is room for any length of time between the
first and second verse of the Bible. "Statements such as these pressured many
Christians to accept other dangerous theories under the guise of "science.
"Theologians struggled to remain current with popular scientific findings.

The gap theory trend gained its
greatest support in 1909 when C.I. Scofield first published his Scofield
Study Bible. Dr. Scofield supported the gap theory in his explanation that
"the first creative act refers to the dateless past, and gives scope for all the
geologic ages." He commented that "no conflict of science with the Genesis
cosmogony remains." Dr. Scofield also advocated the "Day-Age "theory--another
"time-allowing" theory teaching that the six days of creation were not literal
24-hour days but actually long periods of time. The Scofield Study Bible,
believed to be the most widely used study Bible of its kind, resulted in a
widespread acceptance of the gap theory, which continues today.

About the same time the
Scofield Study Bible began its circulation, another very popular theological
work was published, Dispensational Truth by Clarence Larkin. In his book,
Dr. Larkin detailed the existence of a "chaotic earth "between Genesis 1:1 and
1:2. His willingness to"fall back then upon Science "allowed science to greatly
infiltrate his theology [Note his capitalization of the word Science].
This influence can be seen in the way Dr. Larkin embraced the "Nebular
Hypothesis, "a predecessor of the "Big Bang" theory.

Regardless of the reason, the gap theory has gained considerable support
from several modern theologians. These theologians, such as Arthur C. Custance,
author of Without Form and Void (1970), and well known preachers Billy
Graham and John Hagee, have adopted the gap theory, in one form or another. For
some, the gap theory is the only explanation they have to make the Bible fit
their preconceived idea for the age of the earth. For others, it is the only way
they can explain certain passages in Scripture.

What Scriptures are used to support the Gap Theory?

Four main passages--Genesis 1:28; Isaiah 45:18; Jeremiah 4:23-24; II Peter
3:5-6--remain the battleground arguments for the gap theory. Using specific
Scriptural references, modern theologians have endeavored to support it.

Genesis 1:28 is undoubtedly the verse most quoted by gap theorists. Genesis
1:28 "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moveth upon the earth." Much of the validity drawn from this verse centers
on the usage of the word replenish. Gap theorists believe that this is
God’s command for Adam and Eve to refill, or repopulate, the earth, assuming the
previous inhabitants of the earth were destroyed in the Genesis 1:2 catastrophe.

The problem that gap theorists encounter stems from misunderstanding the
word replenish. The Hebrew word used here is male, which means,
"to fill." In 1611, the time of the King James translation, English dictionaries
defined the word replenish as "to supply fully, to fill. "Nearly a
century later, a second definition arose,"to fill or build up again. "Most
dictionaries still list both meanings. If the author of Genesis 1 had been
attempting to convey the idea that God wanted Adam and Eve to repopulate the
earth, He would have used the Hebrew word Shana, which means "to fill
again."

Languages
Change

English words frequently change
meanings over the years. In Romans 1:13, Paul said he wanted to come but
was let, a word which used to mean "hindered," but today means
"allowed." Forty years ago, the word gay was the common English word to
mean "happy." James 2:3 "And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay
clothing,..."

In recent years, Isaiah 45:18 has become the verse to which most gap
theorists appeal in defense of their view. In fact, the New Scofield
Reference Bible removed its gap theory footnote from its original place
under Genesis 1:2 and placed it beneath Isaiah 45:18. Isaiah 45:18 "For thus
saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and
made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be
inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." The debate concerning
this verse surrounds Isaiah’s use of the phrase, "he created it not in vain."
The words "in vain," translated from the Hebrew word tohu, also occur in
Genesis 1:2 where it is translated "without form. "Gap theorists conclude that
God did not create the earth without form (tohu), as described in Genesis
1:2, but that it became without form (tohu).

Claiming that Genesis 1:2 was
translated incorrectly, gap theorists believe that it should read, "And the
earth became without form, and void." This attempt by gap theorists to
question God’s ability to preserve His Word (Psalms 12:6-7) in the English
language is one of grievous error. Nowhere does Scripture use the word tohu
to describe a result of God’s judgment. In the Hebrew language, tohu
means "not formed," not "formlessness resulting from a judgment." It must be
noted that when the Old Testament was translated into the Greek language, the
word chaos was available for them to convey this idea of judgment. To the
detriment of the Gap Theory, the Greek translators chose not to use this word in
either Genesis 1:2 or Isaiah 45:18.

Gap theorists frequently quote Jeremiah 4:23-24 in their attempt to depict
the desolate earth of Genesis 1:2. They believe that the prophet Jeremiah is
describing in detail God’s act of judgment upon the "first" earth. Jeremiah
4:23-24 "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the
heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,
and all the hills moved lightly." The phrase "without form, and void" seems
to imply an association with Genesis 1:2, but the word earth in this
verse is not a reference to the planet earth. Earth in this verse refers to the
land of Judah, as discussed in Jeremiah 4:7, 20 & 27, and not to the past
at all. These two verses, when read in the context of the whole chapter, reveal
the prophet Jeremiah’s insight into the coming destruction of Judah by the
Babylonian armies.

Noah’s Ark is representative of
our relationship in Christ. Just as Noah, we as Christians are in this
world but not of this world (John 15:19; 17:13-16)

The belief of most gap theorists is that II Peter 3:5-6 is not referring
to the flood of Noah, but "Lucifer’s flood," that brought on the formless
water-covered earth described in Genesis 1:2. II Peter 3:5-6 "For this they
willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that
then was, being overflowed with water, perished:" No Scripture exists to
support the idea that Peter was referring to "Lucifer’s flood. "With no
references in Scripture to such an event, teachers of this opinion are guilty of
"adding to the word of God."

There are good reasons, however, to believe that Peter is referring to the
flood of Noah in these verses. The only flood to which Peter had previously
referred is the flood of Noah (I Peter 3:20; II Peter 2:5). If Peter were
referring to a different flood, he most certainly would have done so with an
explanation. The words, "willingly ignorant, "suggests that it is a flood that
is well-known, yet one that they have rejected. Possibly these scoffers could be
willingly ignorant of Noah’s flood even though there is a detailed description
of it in the Old Testament and ample evidence for it all over the surface of the
earth today. However, one could not be willingly ignorant of a flood that God
had never revealed to them in His Word.

Gap theorists also attempt to draw from the phrase in II Peter 3:6,"the
world that then was . . . perished. "They interpret it to mean that at the time
of Noah’s flood the world did not perish because Noah and his family were
spared. They feel this fact points to an earlier catastrophe in which every
living organism was destroyed. Actually, the world did perish during the flood
of Noah as described in Genesis 7:23.

Genesis 7:23 says, "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon
the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the
fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only
remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark."

This verse does not include Noah and his family as part of "every living
substance." God clearly had separated Noah and his family from the world by
placing them in the ark. Gap theorists confuse the word world, referring
to people, society, and their surroundings as a whole (Galatians 4:3), with the
word earth, describing the physical place in which people dwell. Isaiah
18:3 and Isaiah 23:17 explains that the world is something that dwells upon the
earth, not something that is the earth. God’s judgment at the time of Noah
brought the destruction of the world, not the destruction of the earth.

This lack of understanding has led many theologians to teach the
"three-earth "theory, which is based upon the gap theory. The three-earth theory
simply states that the earth prior to Genesis 1:2 was the first earth, the
current earth is the second earth, and the earth God has yet to create, as
described in Isaiah 65:17 and II Peter 3:13, is the third earth. Revelation 21:1
refutes this belief in stating that the current earth is the first earth, not
the second.

As previously explained, the Scriptural references used in defense of the
gap theory have absolutely no merit. However, to be fair and complete, a
detailed look must be taken, examining the two assumptions put forth by the gap
theory: 1) that Satan was created prior to the six days of creation, and 2) that
Satan fell before the six days of creation.

When was Satan created, and when did he fall from Heaven?

The Bible, unlike some other religious documents, teaches that Satan was a
created being--the anointed cherub of God (Ezekiel 28:14). Known as Lucifer,
Satan is thought to have been the chief musician of heaven due to the fact that
God had created pipes and tabrets inside of his body (Ezekiel 28:13). God had
named Satan and the angels the "sons of God "(Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job
38:7), a title given only to those that were created directly by God and not
born to parents. Even Adam, since he was created directly by God, is referred to
in this manner (Luke 3:38).

Adopted Sons
of God

God also extended the title "sons
of God" to those who have accepted Christ as their Savior. As children
of God, we have each been made a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17) and
adopted as a son of God (Romans 8:14; Romans 8:19; Philippians 2:15; I
John 3:1-2).

The Bible clearly teaches that Satan was created, and that he was not
co-eternal with God.

In Exodus 20:11 and Exodus 31:17, God
says He created all things in six days.

Exodus 20:11 "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and
all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the
sabbath day, and hallowed it."

Exodus 31:17 "It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever:
for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he
rested."

The phrase "and all that in them is "included Satan, the angels, stars,
space, earth, plants, animals, and man. Genesis 2:1 further supports this
through its use of the phrase "and all the host of them." It is NOT possible to
say it more plainly than the words used in Exodus 20:11! Since everything was
made in the six days, then obviously Satan was also made then.

Genesis 1:5 states, "And the evening and the morning were the first day,
"demonstrating there is no gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. The translators of
the KJV wisely chose this word rather than the incorrect way many new
translations say it was "a day" or "one day" to allow room for the gap theory.

Satan was created during the six-day creation week. Scripture leaves no room
for a period of time prior to "the first day. "Is it possible to determine which
day Satan was created?

The first chapter of Genesis makes no mention of the timing for God’s
creation of Satan and the angels. However, the book of Job, thought to pre-date
the compiled writings of Genesis, contains references of Satan as one of the
sons of God. In Job 1:6 and Job 2:1, God allows Satan to plague His servant Job.

The Seventh
Day

Many verses such as Gen. 2:2-3 and
Heb. 4:4 refer to God resting on "the seventh day." If the gap theory
were true this would not be "the seventh day" would it?

Job 38:4-7 "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou
knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations
thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars
sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Job 38:7 explains that "all the sons of God," celebrated a portion of God’s
creation. The "sons of God shouted for joy "because God had just "laid the
foundations of the earth." This clearly shows that Satan was created prior to
the earth’s foundations being laid. The "foundations" probably refer to
"land,"appearing on the third day of creation (Genesis 1:9). The creation of
Satan most likely occurred on the first, second, or possibly third day of God’s
creation. The only other clue given by Scripture is a reference to Satan as the
"son of the morning "(Isaiah 14:12), possibly placing Satan’s creation in the
morning on one of the first three days.

Since everything was created in six days (Ex. 20:11) and Lucifer was created
(Ez. 28:13,15), the gap theory’s second assumption, the idea that Satan fell
prior to the six days of creation, is already invalidated.

The timing of Satan’s fall is extremely important to the integrity of the
gap theory, since its proponents use it to mark the end of the gap and the
beginning of Genesis 1:2. An answer to the time of Satan’s fall can be found
with a careful look at the Scriptural accounts of this event. The first clue,
found in Isaiah 14:14, records the words of Satan at the time of his fall--"I
will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Since the clouds could not have formed prior to God’s creation of water on day
one, Satan fell after day one. Referring back to Job 38:4-7 that Satan was
"shouting for joy" as the foundations were being laid, his fall must have
occurred after day two or day three. Isaiah 14:13 also reveals to us that
Satan’s fall must have occurred after the creation of the "stars," which
occurred on day four. Certainly, these verses imply Satan could not have fallen
before creation.

The Bible gives one of the most influential clues about the timing of
Satan’s fall in Ezekiel 28:13-17, which presents a picture of what Satan was
like prior to God’s discovery of iniquity in his heart. God revealed that
Lucifer, in an unfallen state, existed in the Garden of Eden, which was not
created until day six. Many gap theorists have tried to explain this by saying
that the Garden of Eden in Ezekiel 28:13-17 could not have been the one
described in the book of Genesis. To preserve their theory, they invented
another garden just as they invented another flood. Neither is ever mentioned in
God’s Word. The gap theorists’ opinion comes from the fact that Ezekiel
describes the Garden as having "every precious stone, "which, they say, is
different from the Genesis account. This difference is unsubstantiated
Biblically since the Genesis Eden was described as having precious stones
(Genesis 2:11-12).

God said in Genesis 1:31 that He "saw every thing that he had
made, and, behold, it was very good." If Satan had already fallen,
God could not have made this statement. The clues of Scripture confirm that
Satan could not have possibly fallen until after day six.

After determining the earliest point at which Satan could have fallen,
discovering the latest point that it could have occurred proves to be very
difficult. The next "date" given in Genesis 5:3, records, "And Adam lived an
hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image;
and called his name Seth." This clue, however, helps deduce the time of
Satan’s fall.

From the sixth day of creation
up until the time Seth was born to Adam and Eve, several events had
transpired--Satan had fallen, Adam and Eve had fallen into sin, Adam and Eve had
been expelled from the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel had been born, and Abel had
been murdered by Cain. With this information, and the following "common sense"
assumptions, one can now find out the latest at which Satan could have fallen:

- Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel shortly after their expulsion from the Garden
of Eden.
- Cain and Abel had been at least 25 years old when Abel’s murder took place.
- Seth had probably not been born when Abel was killed in light of Genesis 4:25
"And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth:
For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain
slew." With these assumptions, one can deduce the following:

The age of Adam when Seth was born:

130

- The minimum age of Cain and Abel:

25 (?)

= The maximum age of Adam when he was expelled

105 (?)

Since Satan had already fallen at the time of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from
the Garden of Eden, we must conclude that his fall occurred within the first 105
years after day six. One unique fact from Scripture that may limit the 105 year
time frame even further can be found in Genesis 4:9-17. In these verses, God is
telling Cain of the punishment he is about to receive for murdering his brother
Abel. Cain responds by saying, "every one that findeth me shall slay me."
Who are these people that Cain is worried about? Were not Adam, Eve, Cain, and
Abel the only people in existence at the time of Abel’s murder? Apparently, Adam
and Eve had had several other children by this time. After Cain fled, the Bible
records he dwelt in the land of Nod where his wife conceived a son Enoch. The
older Cain was when he slew Abel, the more other brothers and sisters could have
been living, and the younger Adam would have been when he and Eve were expelled
from the Garden of Eden. There is no way of determining from Scripture the
exact age of Cain when he slew Abel; therefore, our original estimation of a
maximum 105-year time frame must be adhered to although it was probably shorter.

During these 105 years, Adam and Eve were in close fellowship with God,
giving Him their total worship and admiration. Satan, observing this
relationship, became jealous and wanted man to worship him instead. This
iniquity resulted in his fall. The Scripture-based time window for Satan’s fall
is illustrated on the time line below.

Through an exhaustive and thorough search of the Scripture, one can conclude
that no gap exists between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2."In the beginning God created the
heaven and the earth" and "all that in them is," and He did it in six, literal,
24-hour days. With this in mind, there is only one question left to answer. Does
it really matter if the gap theory is taught or not?

After studying the subject exhaustively, one must determine if the theory
conflicts with, or attempts to compromise, the common-sense teachings of the
Scripture. There are four different ways in which the gap theory violates
Scripture.

1. The gap theory undermines the simplicity and authority of Scripture.

Psalm 119:169 teaches that man is to receive his understanding from the
Scriptures. Although God made His Word plain and simple so that all could
understand and believe (Psalm 119:130), many theologians interpret Scriptures
with a mind clouded by opinions, preconceived ideas, and a bias having been
"educated" in heathen schools of thought. Interpretation in this manner causes
many theologians to twist the Scripture into agreeing with their "theory."
Feeling the attacks of "science, "Christians began to interpret the Scripture
with the preconceived idea that science had determined the age of the earth. God
did not write His Word with tricky language. To compromise the simplicity or
authority of the Scripture is to accommodate the world’s current philosophy. If
the gap theory were true, the average person must not be capable of reading the
Bible and understanding it without some guru or priest telling them what it
really means. This is an earmark of nearly all cults.
2. The gap theory violates the relationship between Christ and Adam.

I Corinthians 15:45 states, "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last
Adam was made a quickening spirit. "Clearly the Scripture not only recognizes
Adam as being the "first man," but more importantly links Adam to Christ. Adam
brought sin and death into the world; Christ brought righteousness and eternal
life. The gap theory teaches that a race of men had previously populated the
earth but were destroyed in "Lucifer’s Flood." This would mean that Adam was not
the first man created, just the first man created after "Lucifer’s Flood," and
would clearly be a violation of Scripture.

3. The gap theory attacks the credibility of Christ.

On several occasions, Christ quoted from or referred to the book of Genesis in
His teachings, obviously believing the Genesis account to be the Word of God, in
considering the six days of creation to be the beginning. In Matthew 19:4 and
Mark 10:6, Christ declares that the creation of Adam and Eve occurred at the
beginning. Paul states in Hebrews 1:10,"in the beginning [God] hast laid the
foundation of the earth," something that did not occur until day two or day
three. Clearly, according to Scripture, the beginning was the creation week. Gap
theorists, however, attack the credibility of Christ by claiming that the
beginning is a reference to a point in time much earlier than the six-day
creation.

4. The gap theory denies the purpose of the cross.

Without a doubt, the foundation upon which our salvation and hope rests is the
substitutionary death of Christ on the cross. God created a perfect, sinless
earth and placed upon it a perfect, sinless man. This man, Adam, enjoyed close
fellowship with his Creator until he sinned and broke the perfect relationship
between God and man. Ever since that time, death and degradation have plagued
God’s once-perfect creation, and man has been separated from God. However, the
shedding of Christ’s innocent blood on the cross can restore man’s fellowship
with God and provide him eternal life. Through Adam’s sin, death entered into
the world; but through Christ’s sacrifice, salvation is made possible (Romans
5:19). Therein lies the gap theory’s greatest error, the placement of sin and
death prior to the existence of Adam. If death existed prior to Adam’s sin, then
how could it be the result of sin?

Thomas Chalmers did not develop the gap theory because he wished to
compromise the Scripture. Chalmers, responding to the attacks of science upon
his faith, created the gap theory as a means to join the teachings of the Bible
with supposed scientific findings and maintain scientific credibility in the
light of the rapidly spreading idea that the earth was old. His mistake grew out
of his own reasoning instead of Scripture.

Unfortunately, many prominent Christian theologians, such as C.I. Scofield
and Clarence Larkin, accepted the teachings of Chalmers as the attacks from
science became more frequent upon their faith. These men, however, sincerely
loved the Lord and spent their lives propogating the gospel. Even today, many
godly men support the gap theory, having been misled by an innocent mistake.

Summary

There are many problems with the gap theory.
1. Invented 1814 in response to the teaching the earth was old--not historical
position of the Christian church.
2. Violates scriptures Gen. 1:5; 2:2-3, Ex. 20:11; Heb. 4:4.
3. Puts death before Adam’s sin--violating Rom. 5:12, I Cor
15:21
4. Has Satan fall before day 7--violates Gen. 1:31; 2:8; Ezek.
28:12-15

Questions for gap theorists to answer:

1. Was Satan already the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:5) when God gave Adam
dominion (Gen. 1:26-28) over the earth?
2. Thousands of species of living animals are also found as fossils. If fossils
represent animals destroyed in "Lucifer’s flood" did God recreate these exactly
as before?
3. When God said everything was "very good," was Satan evil, and were Adam and
Eve standing on thousands of dead plants and animals?
4. Wouldn’t Noah’s world-wide flood have erased all evidence of the "billions of
years" taught in the gap theory?
5. What did God mean in Ex. 20:11 and 31:17?
6. Does everyone who reads the Bible need some "guru" to tell them what the
Bible says?
7. Why can the words "let"(Romans 1:13) and "gay" (James 2:3) change meanings in
400 years but the word "replenish" cannot?
8. Why do we need a gap? What took place during this time? Isn’t this just
trying to compromise the Bible with the current teaching that the earth is old?
9. Why does Revelation 21:1 state that the earth we live on now is the "first"
earth if it really is not?
10. Was Adam "the first man" as I Corinthians 15:45 says?
11. It has never been proven that the earth is billions of years old. There is
ample scientific evidence that the earth is only 6000 years old (see The Age
of the Earth, by Dr. Kent Hovind), so why should we compromise a perfectly
good Bible, which has never been proven wrong, with a teaching that has never
been proven right?

1 comment:

Hovind evaded taxes and was sentenced to prison. He is wrong about many things theologically, most definitely this. The restoration was never invented, except but God I suppose, and is supported scripturally and by the best and brightest bible scholars out there like: E. W. Bullinger, Chuck Missler, Perry Stone, etc. Many people try to disprove it but always fail. Their arguments are tenuous and contort many facts and scripture verses. It makes one wonder why they try so hard.